More importantly you can't really use an international roaming SIM as a true indicator of how our network performs. Without writing another 5-post monster, there are 2 elements required for packet data, the SGSN and the GGSN.

You always use your local SGSN - so, whenever logged into 2degrees as a 2degrees user OR an inbound roamer, you use the 2degrees SGSN.

However, you use your home network GGSN. And that is in another country, linked to us via GRX.

If you speedtest against iHug in Auckland using, say, an Orange UK SIM, all your data is backhauled from Auckland, to the UK, and then back to Auckland again to get to iHug, and then back to the UK and back to Auckland to return to your handset.

That won't really give you a great indication of how well our network will really perform for 2degrees subscribers.

iPad Air + iPhone SE + 2degrees 4tw!

These comments are my own and do not represent the opinions of 2degrees.

More importantly you can't really use an international roaming SIM as a true indicator of how our network performs. Without writing another 5-post monster, there are 2 elements required for packet data, the SGSN and the GGSN.

You always use your local SGSN - so, whenever logged into 2degrees as a 2degrees user OR an inbound roamer, you use the 2degrees SGSN.

However, you use your home network GGSN. And that is in another country, linked to us via GRX.

If you speedtest against iHug in Auckland using, say, an Orange UK SIM, all your data is backhauled from Auckland, to the UK, and then back to Auckland again to get to iHug, and then back to the UK and back to Auckland to return to your handset.

That won't really give you a great indication of how well our network will really perform for 2degrees subscribers.

What a waste of data... I didn't realise it was like that. I would have thought the data would stay within the country and the billing info would be sent to the home network rather than that kind of mess.

Stuve: What a waste of data... I didn't realise it was like that. I would have thought the data would stay within the country and the billing info would be sent to the home network rather than that kind of mess.

It's done that way because of the split in duties between SGSN and GGSN. The SGSN looks after the mobile network; the GGSN looks after the packet networks.

Now, it's possible to have private APNs - big corporates are offered this service by Vodafone and presumably Telecom; the GGSN has a private link of some sort - Frame Relay, carrier ethernet, site to site VPN or whatever - and when a handset connects to the private APN it appears as if it is on the corporate's local network. It gets an IP address from the company's range, the company's DNS addresses etc. Before client VPN software was common this was the best way to get a secure packet data connection back to the office.

Since only one GGSN can have the private connection to the company, the architecture is that all IP data goes back to the home GGSN.

As far as the billing data goes, that can be done. CAMEL Phase 3 support on the SGSN allows realtime billing. However, most SGSNs don't support CAP3 because it's a bit of a chicken and egg problem. No one uses CAP3 for charging because all traffic goes back to the home GGSN, so you can control everything there regardless of CAMEL support in the VPLMN.

But because no-one demands CAMEL support in the VPLMN, no-one bothers to buy it.

The upshot is that in practice most networks, including us, use the DIAMETER Credit Control Application in the GGSN for realtime billing.

iPad Air + iPhone SE + 2degrees 4tw!

These comments are my own and do not represent the opinions of 2degrees.

What I want to know is what frequencies the network will be available on! I know 2100 is out there but I'm almost certain they aren't going to roll out their own *nationwide 2100* network. Either it would cost too much or coverage would be compromised...

I think it is highly likely that they will launch with their own 2100MHz network in areas with dense population. Whether they have a rural network at launch is more questionable. If they do, I'm picking it will initially be through a service agreement with Vodafone that would allow them to use VF's 900MHz network. They may even make an agreement to use VF's 2100 3G network in certain areas if they have urban coverage holes at launch. I'd expect the urban holes to be filled over the next 6-12 months... Longer term is less clear.

Thoughts anyone? I'm particularly interested in the rural coverage issue. Could 2d get away with a service agreement with either Telecom or Vodafone for long term rural 3G coverage or would this be too costly? If too costly, would they build their own network at all, or would they be an urban-only carrier? Also, do you think there is any chance they would make any form of 3G service agreement with Telecom?

[Edit: I guess a lot depends on what spectrum they own. Could anyone a table of who owns what it is used for when it comes to cellphone spectrum?]

mm1352000: What I want to know is what frequencies the network will be available on! I know 2100 is out there but I'm almost certain they aren't going to roll out their own *nationwide 2100* network. Either it would cost too much or coverage would be compromised...

I think it is highly likely that they will launch with their own 2100MHz network in areas with dense population. Whether they have a rural network at launch is more questionable. If they do, I'm picking it will initially be through a service agreement with Vodafone that would allow them to use VF's 900MHz network. They may even make an agreement to use VF's 2100 3G network in certain areas if they have urban coverage holes at launch. I'd expect the urban holes to be filled over the next 6-12 months... Longer term is less clear.

Thoughts anyone? I'm particularly interested in the rural coverage issue. Could 2d get away with a service agreement with either Telecom or Vodafone for long term rural 3G coverage or would this be too costly? If too costly, would they build their own network at all, or would they be an urban-only carrier? Also, do you think there is any chance they would make any form of 3G service agreement with Telecom?

[Edit: I guess a lot depends on what spectrum they own. Could anyone a table of who owns what it is used for when it comes to cellphone spectrum?]

They will use 900/2100mhz freq. Within their own coverage areas it will be 2100, outside of this on Vodafone it is less clear what will happen as voda have 900/2100...